Volunteers do what they can to make this Christmas event “cotton” – Newton Daily News

Volunteers have spent a total of 1,200 hours transforming the Jasper County Historical Museum into a winter wonderland, better known as the “Tree-mendous Christmas Experience,” which is entering its fourth year after a very successful 2023 season that attracted 1,300 visitors .

Barb Carroll, treasurer of the museum board, said each year the organizers and decoration teams work tirelessly to not only make each event bigger and better, but also go above and beyond to ensure that no two trees and no two decorations are the same. You want every visit to feel like a new experience.

“We always knew we wanted to do it differently every year,” she said. “Last year I thought to myself, ‘How are we ever going to top this?’ Now this year is even better than last year and last year was great for us! We have a great group of volunteers who come from all over the county to help.”

Newton News previously reported that attendees at the 2023 event came from 59 cities, 24 counties and 16 states. The museum received another hotel-motel tourism grant from the city this year to help the event bring people to the city. Carroll said organizers expanded their reach this year with more advertising.

Especially in areas outside of Jasper County. Carroll looks forward to the excitement of families walking through the museum and seeing the more than 200 decorated trees on display along with the museum exhibits. The old-school style decorations and festive colors create a unique, cheerful atmosphere.

“Forget everything that’s going on out there in the world and come here and walk through Wonderland,” Carroll told Newton News. “It’s absolutely beautiful and it puts you in the mood and gives you a peaceful heart when you see all these wonderful trees and all these beautiful decorations.”

The Tree-mendous Christmas Experience is the brainchild of Dave Rorabaugh, chairman of the museum’s Christmas committee. Rorabaugh has complained in previous comments that the event is the same every year. Bah humbug! Visitors have to take their first steps into the museum to realize that this is wrong.

“The Newton Arboretum exhibit is outstanding,” he said. “It’s one of the first things you see when you walk in. I think it’s a home run and we really appreciate the time and effort they put in because it’s not just a build that took several days, but all summer to dry out the plants.”

Each year the museum attempts to reserve trees to honor military personnel, local churches and even deceased loved ones. Rorabaugh said the volunteers really strive to create trees and displays that will resonate with everyone who walks through the museum.

“I think we did a great job this year,” he said. “Every year we think it’s the best. Well, I still think this one is by far the best.”

The event is also notable for being open on Christmas Day, giving families the opportunity to get out of the house and enjoy a family-friendly outing.

“We really had overwhelming success on Christmas Day,” Rorabaugh said. “The volunteers we have to make this possible are incredible. What impresses me most is the way the community steps up, supports us and puts in the hours to make this what it is.”

Diane Dafflitto, secretary to the museum board, spent a lot of time decorating the place. She said her preparations for the big event began in February this year when she began designing homemade decorations for trees and other displays.

However, the actual decoration in the museum only began in September. Dafflitto said the volunteers rotate every year, so the people who decorated one room last year have moved to another room. She reiterated that this is to help ensure that the tree-pampering Christmas experience never becomes boring or monotonous.

“The same people don’t work in the same area year after year,” Dafflitto said. “We shoot everything.”

The Jasper County Historical Museum’s Tree-mendous Christmas Experience begins Saturday, Nov. 30, from 1 to 8 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 1, from 1 to 4 p.m., 1700 S. 15th Ave. W. in Newton. The event is open on Saturdays from 1pm to 8pm and Sundays from 1pm to 4pm until December 29th, and on Christmas Day it is open from 1pm to 4pm.